How we rate
Every restaurant on Diner.mt carries a rating out of 5, and there are two kinds.
Tried & Tested Score
Restaurants reviewed on TriedAndTested.mt display their Tried & Tested score: an independent, expert review carried out by our own local reviewers who know the Maltese dining scene first-hand. These are clearly labelled with "Tried & Tested score" beneath the rating.
Our reviewers dine anonymously and pay their own way. They assess food quality, service, atmosphere, value, and consistency. No restaurant can pay for or influence their Tried & Tested score. Each review is attributed to a named editor, so you always know who is behind the opinion.
Launch Rating
Restaurants that haven't yet been reviewed by our editorial team display a launch rating, aggregated from publicly available review sources (Google, TripAdvisor, and similar platforms). These are clearly labelled "Launch rating" and link here so you know exactly what you're looking at.
Launch ratings are a starting point, not an endorsement. They give you a useful indication of a restaurant's reputation while we work through our editorial review schedule. As our team visits and reviews each venue, the launch rating is replaced by the Tried & Tested score.
What the numbers mean
Our commitment
We believe restaurant ratings should be transparent, accountable, and useful. That means:
- Ratings are never influenced by advertising or commercial relationships
- Every Tried & Tested review is attributed to a named reviewer
- Launch ratings are clearly distinguished from expert reviews
- We update scores when we re-visit a restaurant or when new data is available